Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus has hosted separate high-level meetings with his Malaysian and Palestinian counterparts as part of the inaugural gathering of the Group of Parliaments in Support of Palestine, held in Istanbul.
The initiative, spearheaded by Türkiye’s Grand National Assembly, seeks to strengthen global parliamentary solidarity with the Palestinian people and pressure Israel to end its military operations in Gaza.
Turkish President slams Israel’s Gaza offensive, denounces Western silence, and vows continued support for Palestine: “Even if we stand alone, we will defend this cause.”
Türkiye and Malaysia reaffirm shared vision
Following talks with Johari Abdul, Speaker of Malaysia’s House of Representatives, Kurtulmus described the meeting as productive and forward-looking on Saturday.
“We strongly emphasised our solidarity with the Palestinian cause, and also expressed our determination to further advance parliamentary relations between Türkiye and Malaysia,” he said in a statement shared on X.
Kurtulmus praised Malaysia’s growing diplomatic presence in Asia and described the country as a "valued partner" in regional and global efforts.
He said Abdul’s visit would help deepen Türkiye-Malaysia ties while enhancing the international voice for Palestinian rights.
The Turkish speaker also welcomed Malaysia’s support for multilateral parliamentary engagement, stressing the need to expand the platform beyond Muslim-majority nations to involve parliaments worldwide.
Turkish Defence Ministry says that the international community must take action to stop Israel's unlawful behavior.
Türkiye urges action to halt 'genocidal war' in Gaza
In a separate meeting with Rawhi Fattouh, Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, Kurtulmus reiterated Ankara’s unwavering support for Palestine.
He called for “all means of parliamentary diplomacy” to be used to stop what he described as Israel’s "ongoing genocidal war" in Gaza.
“The atrocities in Gaza and other Palestinian territories have surpassed the scale of a massacre — they now rank among the most brutal genocides in history,” Kurtulmus said. He added that responsibility lies not only with Israeli leadership, but also with “those who support and enable them.”
Mobilising parliamentary power
The Group of Parliaments in Support of Palestine was established to coordinate legislative efforts around the world in opposition to Israel’s war policies and to advocate for a lasting, just ceasefire based on the two-state solution.
Kurtulmus emphasised that international parliamentary engagement is a crucial avenue for pushing back against what he called Israeli expansionism and for advocating the rights of Palestinians on the global stage.
“Our goal is to mobilize parliaments around the world, including those outside the Muslim world, to act in solidarity with Palestine,” he said.
The Istanbul meeting marks a significant step in Türkiye’s push to elevate the Palestinian cause through institutional diplomacy and broaden the global alliance calling for an end to the war in Gaza.
